Daisy Creek, Colorado, US |
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| Usual Difficulty | V (for normal flows) |
|---|---|
| Length | 1 Miles |
| Avg. Gradient | 290 fpm |
| Max Gradient | 290 fpm |
| Name | Range | Difficulty | Updated | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SLATE RIVER NEAR CRESTED BUTTE, CO | ||||
| usgs-09111500 | 400 - 2000 cfs | V | cfs | |
Easier that OBJ, but steeper than the Slate or East rivers, Daisy Creek is fun as hell!
Ed Hanson's Web Gallery has some great shots of Big Wood Falls and Rip Your Head Off.
To get there: Take a left and cross the Slate before reaching Pittsburg. This crossing is much shallower than at the OBJ; I've seen a Subaru AWD and an Audi Quattro make it across, but the same risks apply. Make sure it isn't deep enough to suck water into your engine. There is some private property near the creek so please respect no trespassing signs. About a mile up the road you may notice a faint trail leading to the left, or a rock ledge that continues level. Take this to get to the put-in. Hike down to the base of the 40' waterfall, the drop just below it is clogged with wood so you may want to put in below it too. Take out before the confluence with the Slate if you don't plan on running it also.
The Quadruple Crown: Because of the short length and proximity of the Crested Butte creeks, all four of them can be run in the same day. The East River is the best to start out with; it has the largest flow and the least gradient of the four. Next in line is Daisy Creek. Just continue downstream after Daisy to the confluence with the Slate River; there will be about 1/2 mile of slack water until the first rapid. The takeout for the Slate River is the same as Oh Be Joyful Creek, so just walk or drive up to the OBJ put-in from there.
This creek is fed entirely by the day's snowmelt, so the later you put on the higher the flow will be. Peak flows are at sunset or shortly after.
Before June, look for minimum flows of 700 cfs or higher. Early in spring the gauges, located far downstream of the actual reach, are mostly reading snowmelt from lower elevations.
| Name | Range | Difficulty | Updated | Level | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SLATE RIVER NEAR CRESTED BUTTE, CO | ||||||||||||
| usgs-09111500 | 400 - 2000 cfs | V | cfs | |||||||||
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| When | River/Gauge | Subject | Level | Reporter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daisy Creek [CO] |
Sequence 4
|
Running | Doug Smith | |
| D [CO] |
Sequence 3
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n/a | Doug Smith | |
| Daisy Creek [Co] |
Rip Your Head Off
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n/a | Brian Adkins | |
| 358d17h59m | /Daisy Creek-40' Waterfall to confluence with Slate River [CO] |
Canoe on Big Wood Falls
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n/a | Thomas DeVoe |
| 1y135d10h42m | /Daisy Creek-40' Waterfall to confluence with Slate River [CO] |
Upper Daisy Creek
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0 cfs | Brett Mayer-Aschhoff |
| 5y241d14h09m | Daisy Creek [CO] |
Brett Mayer-Aschhoff, Big Wood Falls
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n/a | Brett Mayer-Aschhoff |
No Comments
Users can submit comments.| Mile | Rapid Name | Class | Features (Legend) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | First series of slides | 5.0 |    |
| 0.5 | Big Wood Falls | 5.0 |  |
| 0.8 | Rip Your Head Off | 5.0 |  |
Canoe on Big Wood FallsThis is the big signature drop of the run. It's an easy 15' waterfall, but the landing zone is shallow and there is a log jam that extends 3/4 across the river.
Rip Your Head OffThis one sneaks up on you. After Big Wood Falls the gradient eases off and things appear to be mellowing out, and then the bottom drops out from under you on a blind corner. The bottom cascade in this rapid has an hourglass constriction that has jagged rocks on the left side. You can boat it straight down the gut and just keep your hands and paddle to the right. Takeout right away downstream if you're not planning on running the Slate River.
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01. 40' Waterfall to confluence with Slate River, Daisy Creek Colorado, US (mobile)
